In the early gray months of the year it can be difficult to enjoy the outdoors, but the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science has the remedy for that at their home in Jackson.

Located in LeFleur’s Bluff State Park just off Lakeland Drive east of I-55, the museum offers a great way for any outdoor enthusiast, young or old, to discover something new about the wild bounty that is all around us.

The museum traces its history to modern conservation’s earliest beginnings in Mississippi. Francis Cook, a biological researcher and avid outdoor enthusiast, was instrumental in an effort in the 1920s that led the state legislature to establish the game and fish commission. Her combined work as a field biologist and museum curator resulted in the collection of thousands of specimens of Mississippi’s plants and animals.

Wildlife diverse, engaging

Though not generally on display, this collection formed the scientific foundation upon which today’s museum now stands. The original collection continues to expand and, now numbering in excess of one million specimens, is a key reference for biologists today.

Currently out for public view is a display of more than 30,000 square feet of permanent exhibits, ranging from dinosaur skeletons and other fossils to living specimens housed in examples of their natural environments. A 100,000-gallon aquarium network houses more than 200 living creatures on its own. A 1,700-square-foot greenhouse brings a bayou environment to life.

A number of life-sized displays offer hands-on discovery of specific habitat features, and other indoor and outdoor displays bring in a wealth of our state’s varied living natural history.

Additionally, the museum’s staff includes professional naturalists who share elements of the exhibits with visitors and operate interactive, featured exhibits on a regular basis.

Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for youngsters ages 3 to 16. Children under 3 get in free. For more information, visit the museum’s website at msnaturalscience.org or call 601-576-6000.